What is the function of transmit/receive switching in a transceiver?

A transceiver combines both a transmitter and a receiver in a single unit. To use a single antenna for both functions without destroying the sensitive receiver circuits during high-power transmission, a transmit/receive (T/R) switch is used. The T/R switch rapidly disconnects the antenna from the receiver and connects it to the transmitter when the Push-to-Talk (PTT) is engaged. When the PTT is released, it reverses the connection, safely routing incoming signals back to the receiver. Distractors like changing antennas for other frequencies describe an external antenna switch, not an internal T/R switch. Preventing RF currents from entering circuits is a matter of shielding and filtering, not T/R switching.